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National Biscuit Company
The National Biscuit Company was a three-piece rock band from Indianapolis associated with Homeskillet Records and consisting of Brian Fuzzell (drums), Tim Gober (guitar, vocals), and Josh Tinley (vocals, bass). __TOC__ History Founding Fuzzell, Gober, and Tinley were classmates at Perry Meridian High School on the southside of Indianapolis. Fuzzell was an accomplished drummer who had been playing since grade school. In 1993, Fuzzell formed a three-piece prog-metal band that, during its 18-month run, never played a show or decided on a name. Tinley (a piano player who played mellophone in the PMHS marching band and French horn in the PMHS symphonic band) and Gober (a former trumpet player in the symphonic band) were teammates on the PMHS swimming team and co-workers at an area Wendy's. After swimming practice one afternoon during their 1993-94 winter vacation, Tinley and Gober made a joint decision to purchase instruments with the intention of starting a rock band. Gober bought an off-brand (Lotus) version of a Fender Stratocaster; Tinley bought an off-brand (Memphis) version of a Fender Precision Bass. Over the next few months, the two worked out the basics of their instruments but made no progress in writing songs or putting a group together. Late on the evening of Friday April 8, 1994 (after Tinley's shift at Wendy's), Tinley and Gober met at Jeremy Smith's house to mourn the loss of Kurt Cobain, whose body had been discovered earlier that day. The two decided, in Kurt's honor, that the time was right to start a band. Four days later, Tinley and Gober met to work on two crude original songs—Tinley's "Dead Frog" and Gober's "F Plus"—and a handful of covers (including "Come As You Are" by Nirvana and "Blitzkrieg Bop" by the Ramones). During the next few weeks, the two began a search for a drummer and vocalist. Both were eager to have Fuzzell join the band, but Tinley was skeptical that Fuzzell—who was already playing with more accomplished musicians—would be interested. Gober, who sat near Fuzzell in honors English, asked him to join the band. Fuzzell was reluctant, but Gober was persistent, and Fuzzell eventually agreed to join, at least temporarily. The trio considered enlisting Matt Pippenger as a vocalist, but the arrangement never materialized. Tinley, Gober, and Fuzzell first practiced as a three piece at Fuzzell's house on May 5, 1994. They worked on "Dead Frog," "F Plus," "Come As You Are," and "Blitzkrieg Bop." In the absence of a lead vocalist, Tinley assumed vocal duties. The group called itself Morning Breath, a name that would last only a couple weeks. In early June (one afternoon after all three had taken the SAT), the new band recorded a three-song demo as Liquid Refreshment. The demo, recorded into a boom box in Fuzzell's bedroom, featured "Dead Frog," "F Plus," and a new Tinley song called "Chili Meat" (inspired by Tinley and Gober's experiences at Wendy's). One week later, the three—demo in hand—saw Nothing Definable, Blinky's Evil Twin, and Nephilim play the inaugural show at the TA Skate Shop on the east side of Indianapolis. Tinley gave the demo to Nothing Definable's bass player, who handled booking at TA. He booked Liquid Refreshment to play at TA with Blinky's Evil Twin on July 10. Liquid Diet Less than two week's before its first show, Liquid Refreshment changed its name to Liquid Diet. In the month since recording its initial demo, Liquid Diet had written (and recorded boom-box demos for) three new songs: "Lost" (music by Tinley/Liquid Diet, lyrics by Tinley), "Implode!" (music by Gober/Liquid Diet, lyrics by Tinley), and "Summer Days" (music by Gober/Liquid Diet, lyrics by Fuzzell/Tinley). These three songs, along with "Dead Frog," "F Plus," and "Chili Meat" would form the six-song set list for the July 10 show at TA. Siphon (a six-piece band playing its second gig) opened the show, followed by Liquid Diet, Beneath the Wheel, and Blinky's Evil Twin. There were about 40 spectators in attendance. Liquid Diet played its second show, also at the TA Skate Shop with Blinky's Evil Twin, on August 7, 1994. The band debuted two new songs—"I Don't Care" and "What Am I Doing Here?"—and performed a cover of "Blitzkrieg Bop." The band's third gig on September 23, booked using a new eight-song boom-box demo, would be its first at Indianapolis's Emerson Theater. Liquid Diet would once again open for Blinky's Evil Twin. Since this was the band's first show since the beginning of the school year, Liquid Diet had hoped to attract a big crowd to the Emerson (a larger and more established venue than TA). Disappointed with the turnout and worried about Gober's health (he had a 103° F fever), the group considered cancelling its show the following night at the Sitcom. Liquid Diet had invested much of its time an energy in preparing for and promoting the Emerson show and doubted that many people would show up at the small, difficult-to-find Sitcom. Not wanting to burn bridges the band showed up to learn that it was the only band on the bill that hadn't cancelled. More than 30 paying spectators also showed up, enough to fill the tiny Sitcom. The crowd that night included several Perry Meridian students and four members of Siphon, who performed an impromptu set after the show. Liquid Diet debuted four new songs at the September shows: "Ceiling Tile," "Ten:Fifteen," "Broken Fools," and "My Socks." Drywall and Army of Frogs In October 1994 the band changed its name to Drywall, a name preferred by some of the trio's friends and classmates. That fall, Drwyall recorded "What Am I Doing Here?" and "Broken Fools" with Andy Houston of Beneath the Wheel (and later DLFS). The single was never released and no copy of the recording exists. After two successful shows at the Emerson, Drywall worked with Houston to record Army of Frogs, a seven-song EP that featured three new songs: "Vacuum Cleaner," "It's On!" and "Unwhipped." Gober sang lead on the recording of "Unwhipped" and played trumpet on the recording of "Ten:Fifteen." Houston never finished mixing Army of Frogs and accidentally lost or destroyed some of the tracks. While ''Army of Frogs ''was never released, it was the subject of the only T-shirts the band ever produced. Available in hunter green or as a white ringer with black trim, the shirts featured Tinley's drawing of a frog wearing a conical, bamboo hat. The LSD Era Begins In December 1994, Drywall invited Siphon to play a Christmas show in Tinley's basement. Siphon returned the favor, inviting Drywall to play a New Year's party at bassist Jeff Lucas's house. Also playing were The Lids and Gnembrium (formerly Nephilim). The party was the first of many occasions when The Lids, Siphon, and Drywall (LSD) shared a bill. The three bands played the first formal LSD show two weeks later in front of a crowd of 150 at the Emerson. (Cincinnati's Clifford Nevernew also performed.) See Also *List of National Biscuit Company Songs